Dominican Literacy Center Aurora
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The mission of the Dominican Literacy Center is to assist the immigrant community in the Aurora, IL area by providing trained volunteer tutors for women who wish to learn to read, write and speak English, and by providing classroom instruction in civics, American History and government for men and women who are preparing to take the naturalization test and become new U.S. citizens.
- Income
- $286,441
- Spending
- $327,315
- Spent on programs
- 100%
- Reserves
- 24 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 68%
- Employees
- 7
- Volunteers
- 184
- Highest pay
- $29,530, executive director - nonvoting
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 24.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 14% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 29% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 15100% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Weak: 49 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
18 of 254 of 4 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (2)
- $278,219 spent. The Women's ESL Tutoring program offers individualized ESL tutoring to immigrant women who wish the learn to read, write, and speak in English. 164 women volunteers worked as trained ESL tutors for 164 women students. Each tutor offers individualized lesson plans and instruction for her student using the classrooms, curriculum, and learning materials provided by the DLC. Each student-tutor pair meets together weekly for up to three years. Students are interviewed during registration and undergo the Best PLUS 3.0 ESL test to establish their English level before they are assigned to an appropriate level of the Stand Out curriculum and assigned their own tutor. DLC staff recruit and train all volunteers and are always on-site to offer ongoing support to volunteers and students.
- $49,096 spent. The Citizenship Program offers test preparation for any men or women who are preparing to take the federal naturalization test and become new U.S. Citizens. 87 individuals received classroom Citizenship instruction and individual mock interview tutoring in preparation for the federal naturalization test. Each class meets twice weekly for four hours total, for a total of 12 weeks per semester. Students are welcome to retake the course as many times as needed to be prepared for the naturalization test and interview. Classes are taught by volunteer certified teachers and retired professors, and tutoring is administered by trained volunteers.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 2001.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.